APPENDIX. 323 



whilst Mr. Houstoun of Kintradwell and others were engaged in 

 digging out the remains of the old tower there. Many of these 

 were broken in fragments, showing the appreciation which the 

 natives of the rude Stone Age had for the marrow. 



Of other extinct animals we have traces of the wild boar 

 (Sits scrofa), in Gaelic traditions which still survive, and have 

 given names to various localities in the county, such as Ault- 

 natore "The Burn of the Boar" near Ben Loyal, where 

 Dermid was slain by the revenge of Fingal for seducing 

 the latter's wife (Songs of the Bards). According to Boyd 

 Dawkins, the wild boar was extinct in Britain "before the 

 reign of Charles I." (Cave Hunting, p. 76.) 



EXISTENT MAMMALS. 



Common Bat Vesperugo pipistrellus (Geoffroy). 

 Not so rare as formerly supposed, and indeed has probably increased 

 since the last account was written. Alston, Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. 

 Glasgow. 



Mole Talpa europcea L. 



Still on the increase in Sutherland. In 1843 it was rare in Durness, and, 

 according to Alston, only found on the western slope of Ben Hope. 

 Abundant in Assynt, less so in Edderachyllis, where the ground is 

 rockier and there are fewer low-lying pastures. In some parts their 

 existence for a number of years is evidenced by the old turf-covered 

 mole-hills. In the east regular mole-trappers are employed to keep 

 down these so-called pests. 



Obs. The Hedgehog Erinaceus europceus L. 

 Is still unknown in the west, and, so far as known to us, in all other 

 parts of the county. Though pet specimens have been introduced, 

 and have escaped, there is no evidence that they have established 

 themselves in a wild state. 



Common Shrew Sorex mdgaris L. 

 Common. 



Water Shrew Crossopus fodiens (Pallas). 



Is not rare, but its retiring habits render its numbers difficult to ascer- 

 tain. Extends to Caithness. It frequents the limestone burns and 

 rivers of Assynt, and we have seen one obtained on the Inver river in 

 1883. In Mr. Alston's paper on "The Mammals of Sutherland," it is 

 stated that the dark variety, formerly separated as C. remifer, does 

 not appear to be found within the county, although common in many 

 parts of Scotland. The one we saw in 1883 belonged to the dark variety, 

 the dark colour passing entirely over the under side. Mr. Houstoun 

 writes from Kintradwell "I have twice seen the Water Shrew in life 

 the first time both in the water and on land, and the second time on 

 dry land and have, on three separate occasions, got dead specimens, 

 evidently dropped by a cat, but perfect and intact." 



Badger Meles taxus (Schreber). 



Still found, but in decreasing numbers and in more restricted areas. Pre- 

 vious to 1867 no vermin were killed in the Keay Forest, but after 1872 



